The best way I know how to describe myself is...blessed. I was born to two incredible parents and I have five wonderful siblings that I love dearly. One unique characteristic about my life is that I have been homeschooled basically since I was born and I feel that I have had a very rich and full education because of that as well as the opportunity to spend time with the people I love the most every day.
But as this website is based around me as a titleholder in the Miss America System, let me share the very interesting chain of events that led me to becoming
MISS CROWLEY'S RIDGE 2011.
Two years ago, through the workings of my mother, I began studying with a piano instructor, Judith Fairchild in Memphis, TN. Shortly after I began working with her , she gave me the piece "Rhapsody in Blue" to perform for the Mid-South Fair Talent Show (the largest amateur performing arts contest in the world). So, I entered the show and to our delight did quite well, out of over 300 contestants between the ages of 17 and 21, I won a semi-finalist position which cut the 300 down to 72! But, I digress. The long term effects of entering would not be revealed until a later date. About a week after the talent show, my dad received an email from Eva Lee Graves, the executive director of the Miss NEA's and Miss Lights of The Delta's Outstanding Teen Pageants. My dad, Bill Bell, who is a phenomenal photographer had donated his services to photograph the teen queens. Anyways, the email went like this:
Dear Bill,
Stopped to see a friend in Batesville and she said "we have a girl you need to get in Lights pageant and she's from Blytheville"... I think it is your daughter, Bethany Bell, played piano at Mid-South Fair Talent. This was the mother of a past teen queen, Kathleen Trotter, who sang at the Fair Talent.
You have met a couple of our girls and you know they are not what you often think of as "pageant girls. Have your daughter and her mom go to our website:www.missnea.org, and then click on Teen Lights and under that, Entry Information and scroll down and read the Pageant Details Letter which tells all about the pageant and also look at the pictures of the activities the girls do during the year. If she thinks she would like to do this - and this is a fun pageant to do for your first time and see if you like it - then I'll be glad to help her develop an issue, make a resume and complete her forms and answer all the questions they have.
Eva Lee
At the time, 2009, I was 1 6 and would be eligible to compete in the lights of the delta outstanding teen coming up in the following month.
Well, my dad passed the message on to me and my mom, I read through it once and don't think I gave it a second thought after that. Lucky for me, Ms. Eva Lee didn't quit. The next year she emailed us again and invited me to participate in the county fair pageant in August. I decided I might as well do it, it could be fun, and the entry fee was minimal. My mom was determined though, that IF I was going to do the fair pageant, I might as well do it right. So, I went and met with Marrietta Jerome the director of the pageant and she began initiating me into the Miss America System. By the time I left her house I thought to myself "I will do this county fair pageant and then I will never do another one again." I just was not interested, or so I thought. So, to make a long story longer, I went to the county fair pageant, did my hair and makeup, wore one of the dresses I used for piano competitions (essentially a prom dress) and I won!!! We were so excited, and even more exciting was that as the winner I got my entry fee paid into the miss northeast Arkansas pageant in September as well as a wardrobe stipend to help me prepare for the pageant. Well, with the help of the 'sisters' (Marrietta Jerome and Eva Lee Graves) I assembled the required elements to compete and Saturday, September 25, I competed in my first Miss Arkansas preliminary. I enjoyed the experience so much and was even happier when I won 2nd runner up! At this point, though I didn't fully grasp what a big deal being in these preliminaries was, I was hooked. I loved performing onstage, putting together my platform, and of course dressing up. So, I did the next preliminary directed by the "sisters" the Lights of the Delta pageant in November and won 3rd runner up at that one. In December, I entered and competed in the Miss Crowley's Ridge pageant which was one the same day as a piano recital I had in a different state. (Yes, that was a crazy day) But with the help of Jeni Stephens, who drilled me on interview and did my makeup in the vehicle on the way there, I slid in, did my interview, and then competed in each of the other divisions, Onstage Question, Swimsuit, Talent, and Evening Gown and the moment of truth came..."Miss Crowley's Ridge 2011 is...Contestant #3 Bethany Bell!" Flowers placed in my arms, a beautiful crown placed upon my head, and pure happiness in my heart!
And then the real work began...
Special Thanks
First and foremost I give thanks to my heavenly father for giving me the opportunity and the strength to begin this journey.
Thanks to my incredible parents who have supported and encouraged me in this process, you are my biggest fans, I would not be where I am without you.
Thanks to Stephanie Isaacs, the "friend" who reccomended me to Ms. Eva Lee
Thanks to Marrietta Jerome and Eva Lee Graves for their exceptional work in the Miss Arkansas system and showing me what pageants area really about!
Thanks to my piano teacher, Judith Fairchild for helping me prepare my talent pieces.
Thanks to Peggy and Katie Smart for your help and support as my directors and friends.
Thanks to my church and community for your support and congratulations, your energy keeps me going.
Thanks to Jeni Stephens for your help in preparing me for Miss Crowley's Ridge, and for being a good, honest, friend.
Thanks to Somer Allen for being willing to share your experiences and expertise as a veteran competitor. I truly appreciate your advice.
Thanks to Shelly Kelly, and all the folks at Clark's Bridal for your beautiful work, clothes, encouragement and help.
Thank you to all the sponsors of the Miss Crowley's ridge pageant.
Thank you to my friends and family who donated to THE children's miracle network on my behalf.
- Jon
- Ms. Cole.
- Mother and Daddy
- Shane and Teryn
- Lexi
- Uncle Kory
- Ms. Rigel
Thanks to Bell Photo Art (Daddy) for the beautiful pictures.
The human brain is such an incredibly powerful thing, it thinks, rationalizes, senses, and instructs. But it also feels, emotes, and sympathizes. Each side of our brain works independently, but it's true beauty is displayed when they are codependent.
Children today are being fervently plied with the math's, sciences, and reading all of which are foundationally important subjects. But, in order to have well-rounded, mentally fit, and fully educated children and young adults, we must implement music and arts programs in the education system. It's common knowledge that when budgets are tight, as they are now, music and arts take some of the biggest cuts. This is not acceptable because it is undermining the education system, crippling the brain, and closeting potential that may never be discovered or shared.
A Few Statistics
The scientific implications of music and arts education are astounding! In fact one of the greatest scientific minds of all time , Albert Einstein said this:
"If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. ... I get most joy in life out of music."
- Albert Einstein
53 = points higher on the verbal section of the SAT earned by music performance students.
66 = the perentage of music majors that applied to medical school who were accepted. (the next highest percentage, [44%] were biochemists)
37 = billion dollars of revenue produced by jobs in the arts.
American Arts Alliance Fact Sheet, October 1996
1999 College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers, The College Entrance Examination Board, Princeton, New Jersey
"The Case for Music in the Schools," Phi Delta Kappan
Articles of
Art Talk with Marna Stalcup, The Right Brain Initiative
Thank you for visiting my wesbite! Please leave questions or comments in good taste.
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